SFFANZ News usually publishes these results in order to highlight the Kiwis who have been winning awards on the other side of the Tasman. This year however, there isn’t really anything to report in that area. So instead, here are a couple of highlights from these awards that may interest NZ readers…

Kaaron Warren’s The Grief Hole won the best novel Ditmar. Kaaron was a high profile attendee at the recently completed NZ Natcon Lexicon in Taupo. Kaaron has already been shoulder tapped to be a guest at the 2019 NZ Natcon (GeyserCon) in Rotorua. Of particular note here is that The Grief Hole has now won an Australian Shadows award, an Aurealis award and now a Ditmar award. Possibly a unique treble.

Rose Mitchell was presented the Peter McNamara Achievement Award. Rose is a former FFANZ delegate known to many NZ fans. She was most recently a guest at SmofCon South held in Wellington last year.

On behalf of Gillian Polack and Mihaela Marija Perković (for Jukka Halme), the finalised GUFF 2017 ballot is now available on the OzFanFunds website.

This race is to transport a Australasian fan to Worldcon 75, the 75th World Science Fiction Convention, to be held in Helsinki, Finland, 9-13 August, 2017. As previously announced, candidates are Donna Maree Hanson, Sam Hawke, Belle McQuattie, and Alexandra Pierce and Alisa Krasnostein (shared).

Candidates’ platforms and general information about voting is here.
Online ballot is here.
PDF version for printing is here.

GUFF is the Get Up and Over (or Going Under) Fan Fund which transports SF fans from Australasia to Europe (and vice versa).

Nominations are now open for the northbound race, to transport a Australasian fan to Worldcon 75, the 75th World Science Fiction Convention, to be held in Helsinki, Finland, 9-13 August, 2017.

If you wish to stand and are unsure about how to go about getting any of these things, what the fund pays for or the duties of a GUFF delegate and administrator, then get in touch with one of the current GUFF administrators. You can find contact details and other information here.

Nominations are open until 17th November 2016, and candidates will be announced soon after. Voting will then run until Saturday 1st April 2017, with the winner announced online as soon as possible after voting has closed.

As an editorial aside to the above, the NZ in 2020 Worldcon bid plans to have a presence in Helsinki and they need assistance with that. There is obvious opportunity for a happy overlap of interests here. Also, although kiwis are eligible, there has never been a New Zealand GUFF delegate. Isn’t it about time that was rectified.

The Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand (FFANZ) are very pleased to announce that the race for Melbourne has been won, and we are excited to have Lynelle Howell as our new delegate.

Lynelle has been a tireless champion of the New Zealand science fiction community for many years, and now she will be heading to Melbourne in 2017 to meet and greet with Australian fandom and share her knowledge and enthusiasm across the ditch.

Thanks to everyone who voted for Lynelle, and to all those who have otherwise supported or signal-boosted the fan funds. It is much appreciated.

If you would like to help in our mission to promote New Zealand and Australian fandom and writing and continue to strengthen the bonds between our communities, please contact the fund administrators, Dan Rabarts in New Zealand or David McDonald in Australia, to see how you can help.

We’re always open to donations which can be auctioned at cons, or any other creative means of raising funds and raising awareness and keeping good things happening. We can both be found on Facebook or Twitter.